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(No Model.)

GVE. DANPORTH. MACHINE FOR STRETGHING HIDES ORSKINS.

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by fluorite No. 423,030. Patented Mar. 11, 1890.

N. PETERS. FhoXo-Lilhngrnpher. Washingtan D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TO ANTON B. HOFFMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR STRETCHING HIDES OR SKINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of- Letters Patent No. 423,030, dated March11,1890.

Application filed May 10, 1889. Serial No. 310,309- (No model.)

.T0 at whom it may ooncernr Be it known that I, GEORGE E. DANFORTH, ofLynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stretching Hides orSkins, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification.

Myinvention relates to machines for stretching hides or skins, and is animprovement upon the inventions described in Letters Patent Nos. 387,402and 396,811, granted to me August 7,1888, and January29,1889,respectively; and it consists in certain novel features ofconstruction, arrangementyand combination of parts, which will bereadily understood by reference to the description of the drawings, andto the claims to be hereinafter given, and in which my present inventionis clearly pointed out.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the skin-rubbing jaws andtheir carrying-levers. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rubbing-jaw and itsholder, and Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a plan and an elevation ofthe locking-"lever.

In the drawings, A is the table of the machine supported upon the twoend frames A A.

B is the operating-shaft carrying the driving-pulley B and thecylinder-cam 0, having formed in its periphery the cam-path a.

D is the jaw-carrying frame, having the arms D and D and firmly securedto the block or plate D and reciprocated by the action of the path aupon the truck Z), carried on a stud set in the under side of the plateD all constructed and operating substantially as described in said priorpatent, No. 387,402, before cited.

To the plate D is pivoted the lever'E, to the upper end of which ispivoted the rod F, the opposite end of which is pivoted to the upper endof the upper-jaw lever G, pivoted to the end of the arm D, and the leverE also has pivoted thereto a short distance above its fulcrum one end ofthe rod F, the oppositeend of which is pivoted at c to the lowerjawlever II, which in turn is pivoted to the end of the arm D and haspivoted to its free end the knife-block H, having secured to its outerorfront end the knife I, and provided with the rearWardly-projecting armd, to the end of which is pivoted the rod d, which proj ects through anopening in the lever H, and has applied thereto the two springs e and c,all substantially as described in said prior patent, No. 396,811, beforecited.

I will now proceed to describe my improvements.

I make the arm cl somewhat shorter than in the machine described in saidlast-mentioned prior patent, and make the upper surface of theknife-block convex, as shown in Fig. 2. Instead of setting therubber-block J in a separate casting from the upper-j aw lever andpivoting it thereto, as in said last-mentioned patent, I form in thelower end of the upperjaw lever G a rectangular socket or box hav- 7oing a removable cover or side f, and instead of making the working endof the rubberblock' rectangular, as in said patent, I make the outer endof said rubber-block oval or rounded and place against its inner end ametal 7 5 plate g, against which the set-screws h h act to adjust saidrubber-block to increase the pressure of the operating-jaws. I alsochange the position of the rubber-block relative to the edge of theknife, so that the knife bears against the side of the rubber-block,.while the end of said. rubber-block bears directly upon the roundedupper surface of the knifeblock or upon the hide or skin resting thereonwith any desired pressure, according as to 8 5 how the rubber-block isadjusted.

K is a locking-lever pivoted to the frame D, the rear end of which isprovided withashoul der '6, which engages with the block or projectionj, secured to or formed upon the lever E, 0 and said lever is alsoprovided with the projecting ear 1', the lower edge of which rests uponthe block j when said shoulder 2' is in engagement with the front sideof the block j, as shown, the rear end of said lever K being drawndownward by the spring 70. The front end of the locking-lever K is bentupward into a position to be struck by the stop-bar K, set in the standK so as to be adjustable therein, when the frame D is approaching theend of its rearward movement to trip the locking-' lever and allow thejaws to be separated and release the hide or skin preparatory to aforward movement of said jaws to take a new.

hold upon the skin.

L is an arm mounted loosely upon the shaft B, between the hub of the camO and the collar l in such a manner that said shaft is free to revolvewithin its hub; but said arm cannot be moved in the direction of thelength of said shaft. The upper end of the arm L has formed therein aneye through which the rod F passes freely, and upon said rod F are adjustably secured by set-screws the two stopcollars m and m, between whichand the upper end of the arm L are also fitted upon said rod the twowashers n and n, of leather, rubher, or other suitable material, toserve as a cushion to deaden the sound of the blow of said collars whenthey strike said arm to open or close the jaws. WVhen the frame D is inits most forward position, as shown in the drawings, the Washer 02 andcollar m have been arrested in their forward movement by the arm L, andas a consequence the lever F has been'moved about its axis of motion andthe rubber-jaw J and the knife-block H are firmly pressed upon the hideor skin placed between them, as shown in Fig. 2, in which the hide orskin is represented by the heavy line 0 0, and the locking-lever K hasengaged with the block or projection j and locked said jaws together,with the edge of the knife I pressing the skin hard against the front ofthe rubberin a direction nearly at right angles to the line of pressurebetween the rounded upper surface of the knife-block H and the endv ofthe rubber jaw or block, the skin being drawn downward over the edge ofthe knife and around the lower front corner or rounded surface of saidrubber-j aw, as shown in Fig. 2. When the frame D is moved toward therear, the jaws stretch and smooth out the skin,the operator holding theskin from moving with said jaws. J ustbeforethe frame D reaches the endof its rearward movement the upturned end of the locking-leverK strikesthe end of the stop-bar K, and is thereby moved about its fulcrum andits shoulder 45 is disengaged from the block or projection j, when thecollarm or its washern comes in contact with the arm L, and the knifeand knifeblock are moved away from the rubber-jaw and the pressure uponthe skin is removed, the position of the skin is changed by theoperator, and the frame D is again moved forward with the jaws separatedtill the arm L is again engaged by the 'stopcollar am, when the jaws areagain closed-upon the skin and the operation is repeated. By thisconstruction and arrangement of the knife, knife-block, and rubberjaw avery much more effective action is produced upon the skin than hasheretofore been practical, and the devices used for opening and closingthe jaws are very effective, being positive in their action and muchless noisy than the devices used in the machines described in mybeforecited prior patents.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a machine for stretching hides and skins, the combination of theupper-jaw-carrying lever provided with a socket in its lower end, therubber-block or friction-jaw fitted to said socket, a metal plateresting upon the inner end of said rubber-block, setscrews for adjustingsaid block, and the re- -movable clamping-plate for securing saidrubber-block in its adjusted position.

2. In machine for stretching hides and skins, the combination of thereciprocating frame D D D the cam O, the jaw-carrying levers G and H,the pivoted knife-holding block H, having a convex upper surface, theknife I, secured to the side of said knifeholder, the springs e and eand rod 61, the rubber-block J, carried by the lever .G and having itsoperating end rounded and arranged to bear at its end upon or press thehide or skin into contact with the rounded upper surface of theknife-holder H, and to bear at its front side against the edge of theknife I', the pivoted lever E, the rods F and F, the collars m and m,the fixed arm L, the locking lever K, pivoted to the frame D, the blockj, secured to the lever E, and the levertripping arm K, all constructed,arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a machine for stretching hides and skins and provided with areciprocating frame, two operating frictional jaws carried thereby, rodsconnecting said jaws with a third lever pivoted to said frame, means forreciprocating said frame, and means for closing said jaws at one'end ofits reciprocation and opening them at the other end of its rehaving itsother end turned upward pivoted to said sliding frame, the spring is,and. the adjustable stop-bar K.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 8th day of May, A. D.1889.

GEORGE E. DANFORTH.

WVitnesses: I

WALTER E. 'LOMBARD, N. O. LOMBARD.

